lanne

Last Shoot for 2007...maybe

I was on the phone this morning when some subtle hints were dropped that she needed some photos for christmas cards. I dropped over this afternoon to do their shoot. I have done a couple now and usually try and do theirs earlier in the year. They have now missed the print cut off for 2007 - YAY the last print order is in tonight) but .. I will get some cheaper press prints done for them.

THE CUTEST kids... and completely out there funny and wild.. I kinda like their cheeky photos better anyway!

I thought this first one was kind of the pick of them when I finished shooting.. which was pretty quick.. they gave me about 5 - 7 mins to capture them..and it diintergrated after about 2 mins LOL

but.. I LOVED how this looked with the TRA Old Skool finish... i am just scrapping it into the pro lab order for tonight so they can have a bigger one as a christmas surprise.

This child was the most peaceful baby I have ever held. She is a few months younger than lochie and I used to LOVE holding her .. she just made you feel good. ahhhh .. then one day.. not so much.. now she makes you scream with laughter and dissolve into giggles with her. love the light.. ohh and the 5D haha

Maybe they can use this one? I really got about 10 photos.. VERY fast..LOL

Attempting to do 'fish face' hehehe I have a bunch of these. They were both so into seeing themselves in the camera.

and on that note.. i return to uploading prints to the printer.

I have a secret!

Now I have your attention! LOL

I have a wonderful happy secret.. which I can share next week.

NO .. I am NOT pregnant.. eek! @ the idea
NO .. I am not secretly dating George Clooney..
NO.. I am not a man OR a madame..LOL

but I do have a secret...

I can give you a lil hint each day tho..

Hint No. 1 - I made some new friends this week. NO idea what kind of impression I made on them having shared the conversations listed in the prev. blog post but hey.. they did seem to be some of the nicest people in the scrapping world.. ..

but back to the costume.. and I am going to have to seriously push these posts WAAAAAAY down in the next few days..LOL

I DID buy some handcuffs.. let me tell you after some .. rather interesting/scary/downright horrifying web searches... I ended up phoning potential stores. I learned that kinky people have high disposable incomes .. hello $89 for diamonte (spelling?) hand cuffs..LOL and that hens nights are bad news!

I ended up buying some pink fluffy ones from a lingerie store.. nice and easy! So I get back out to the car and I am on the phone to a friend (a very good friend as luck has it) .. and I am chatting away and open the packet. I look at the handcuffs.. they look SMALL there is no way I am going to be able to wear them.. maybe it is just the fluff? SO in my infinite wisdom I open the packet and try them on.. if they dont fit I shall return them.. they were $20 and I have no further use for them LOL well short of chaining andrew to the sink so the dishes get done..LOL So they had better fit!

What I didnt notice as I was sitting in my car chatting away... was that I was trying on HANDCUFFS in a car park.. and the guy in the car next to me was giving me some very funny looks. Yes.. I must get some more self awareness.. or.. help! LOL They fit.. JUST and the pink fluff has gone.. they are kinda heavy tho... oh well.

So there you go..this one is all about secrets and handcuffs..

Good idea?

Let me start by saying.. I KNOW if I have to blog and ask if it is a good idea.. it might not be..LOL

Today Lochie and I went shopping and tried to pick up the last of everything we need for the next week or so... no biggie.. some gift tags (opps didn't get any).. some ribbon.. Check.. and a dessert (maybe tomorrow) and .. one costume item each for the birthday party.

Our Characters for the party - Andrew is a wealthy man, who made his money in uncertain circumstance and I.. well I think it becomes clear during the game that I am a brothel madam. Now... a 1920s brothel madam... is not the easiest thing to portray .. and not in one costume piece..LOL

SO GUESS WHO.. went around the shops today looking for inspiration.. I did manage to score a $ keyring for andrew.. it is all pimp daddy diamante thing..LOL we are going to pin it to a tie...

But I was a lil harder to buy for... I told every sales assistant .no thanks.. just looking..LOL until 4 hours, a tired child and sore feet later I gave in and said.. going to a party - REQUIRE an outfit which suggests 1920s madame... hahaha So she suggested a corset.. those of you who know me well know this is just LAUGHABLE... and laugh I did... me.. being me... says... Oh no.. I dont work in the brothel..I am just the madame.. MUCH.... to the horror, disgust and bad looks from my fellow shoppers in the tiny cheap/junk opps i mean costume jewelry store - think what you like ladies.. but i am NOT wearing a corset. haha

So she suggests about 8 cosutme items and in insolation none of them will work. I am a SUBTLE madame.. I need SUBTLE.. so..onwards we go. I got some black beads/pearls...but they dont look RIGHT even tied as the google search images indicate.. I bought a black wig..

Funny story part 2... andrew phones to say he is coming home earlier than expected.. i am YAY oh good.. i need you to sit with the wig on whilst i cut it into a bob..hahaha The things I ask of him! But he was saved that humiliation.. as Lochie wrecked the wig.. it was $7 in a cheap shop (some kinda hippie thing hence it needed cutting) but it is no longer straight and sleek..and it isnt going to be again! i think the case of the incredible 4yr vs the headpeice/doona may have been to blame... grrrrrrr

and I bought an oversized keyring ring... but it is just TOO bit.. maybe I could wear it as a necklace?

Does anyone think it would be in terribly poor taste for me to get some of those *insert face here* fluffy handcuffs.. yes .. yes.. you know the ones I mean.. and wear both of them on one wrist.. ala a bracelet.. I tell Andrew this idea this afternoon and he did very well at NOT going into peels of laughter and said are you going to a *** shop to buy them..I nodded and said probably..LOL I tried some today at a gift/joke store but they were too small. Again he didn't laugh but his face contorted....ALOT

Would that be subtle? Pointed? Poor taste? Kinda fun... I would still be able to cook and prepare the meal...and it should give the right indication!

So.. tomorrow is a studio day, and i was thinking I might get some handcuffs before picking lochie up from school? LOL I hope they have some black ones...

any thoughts?

Changes

OK I think...with a bit of help - thanks Kylie.. I have worked out what I was doing wrong with the lists.. now to find an hour to undo it..LOL

So in the mean time I have removed all the links!

I am also looking at buying a new website for PWL and doing the blog via wordpress, rather than typepad *I was setting up the PWL blog over christmas break...*

Anyone got any suggestions on that? Other ideas or warnings... I would love to hear them.

Christmas came early

Yesterday we celebrated christmas with friends...

It was lots of fun, very relaxed and hours had flown by before we knew it.. just as it should be. We shared our families favorite recipes.. and i was a lil disappointed in the pork. It was OK but maybe larger than normal and it didn't quiet seem as good.. oh well! I also didn't make crackle/crackling... which disappointed Andrew ..LOL

But I did have a lovely time, the deck looked rather inviting... and of course.. I snapped a few photos.. not many tho!

There was lots of discussion between Andrew and I about how it should look. He thought we were going for 'lunch in the park but on the deck' (laughing).. whereas I thought we were going with. christmas table!!! minimalist than normal because it was lunch but.. filled with little touches and lots of colour coordinated decorations!

I did the pale cream tablecloth, two dark brown runners, going horizontally, and blue rimmed glasses (with matching water bottles) down the centre holding tea lights.. it was meant to also have baubles in between but the wind put a stop to that! So I filled a vase with them instead and added them to the food table.

This was the christmas table...

Each plate had a simple cream leaf, with delicate glitter on it.. and the cutlery was tied in a brown organza ribbon, and placed on the leaf.. LOVE the tied cutlery.. seems more relaxed than the formal cutlery laid out..
and it is a good place to add some decoration without going overboard.

(I needed sharon to come and photograph it properly..LOL and thought as much at the time! oh well you can live with these..LOL)

Baubles in the vase...

and the smallest guest.. GOSH he is so cute.. and .. partied the entire time with no nap..hehe..

and lochie was the host with the most.. entertaining his friend. I think that C might be Lochie's first best friend. :) They play SO well together!

and now .. the count down to my birthday begins!

Refresh

I am slowly renewing the blog.. frankly I am completely and totally unable to read instructions and have spent hours trying to get pictures into the side. and NOW all the links are funky... *rolls eyes* Please excuse my odd blog until I can work all this out.

I woke this morning to unbelievable rain. In a drought.. rain is rare anyway.. but.. HOLY RAIN BATMAN! It was just pouring.. living in a replica we have a metal roof which made it all the louder. I got up and went to check the windows. Then the back deck occurred to me. OH NO. I ran out in my Pjs.. to find rain coming in over my head (not bad for a reasonable size deck with a full roof! It was coming in and lashing above the french doors.. I had to cover the day bed and rocker and get back inside... ew.. wet!

Given I was now awake and the house was quiet I got caught up on ALMOST all my emails and enjoyed a peaceful coffee. I even braved the rain to go to the farmers market.

I am now a full fledged trolley pushing member of the farmers market..LOL Having spent $25 on a lil fold up trolley thing.. I went up and down the aisle in the rain gathering fresh produce.. ahhhh SO nice to have so much fresh stuff..

Tomorrow we are celebrating Christmas with friends. I am looking forward to a houseful of people and children playing.. of lush food and good company. :) We are all contributing a starter, main and dessert.. everyone's family favorite/special recipe... and each year we will be rotating the hosting.I am hosting this year and I am all set :) - lets hope the rain holds off and we can use the deck!

I am doing a cheese/dip/cracker/fresh fruit board.. with a roast pork (OH SO LUSH) and Shrek cupcakes for dessert (I figure i can look after the kids!) I found a packet cake mix complete with green gel icing and little shrek ear shaped lollies.. CUTE!

The pork dish is a Jamie Oliver recipe.. and is DDDDDivine!

You put the roasting pan on the stove top (we have gas so it works well).. and heat/seal the pork in the roasting pan. Once it is all sealed, you add leeks, onions, fennel etc and then... pour 2 cups of wine over the top.. wet some baking paper, cover the pork, tucking it in. Cook for about an hour or so depending on the size of the pork.

I promise you have never ever ever had such wodnerful moist pork EVER.. and the flavours from the greens (I also add rosemary and garlic but forget if it was in JO's recipe or not?) I will be serving it sliced on a bed of sage leaves...

I picked up several bunches of flowers..and made two pretty vases.. I wanted flowers on the table.. but.. nothing toooo formal or structured..these were perfect.. They would be equally perfect for my birthday dinner next week. (but wont last).. I wonder if I should just buy the same again!

And I have a few blue and brown baubles left (not yet on the tree).. and cream table cloth with a couple of brown runners to add horizontally.

We also voted today.. Australian Federal Elections... Looks like a change of govt coming in. Of course Lochie was wondering what on earth was going on and I explained someone had to be the boss and we were going to write down who we thought it should be. He pipes up with. I think it should be you Mummy. hehe.

I also ducked into get some prints from Harveys, and they had a Santa there for photos. Lochie was vary wary and wouldnt go to close. Whilst waiting for prints I got him to come and sit with me and watch Santa.
He was a lil nervous but decided this was the real Santa.. the real one from the North pole..not the man in a bad suit he had seen last week!

He got brave and went and sat next to Santa (love that they had a wide chair and he could have his own space). They took some shocking photos.. which of course I bought! LOL Lochie knew it was the real santa and so a photo of this big occasion was a must. Being a really quiet store.. (with voting and the rain) lochie had a big chat to Santa for about 7 - 10 mins. They covered eating MOST of your veges but not all, the possibility of a neighbours dog barking at Santa, the weather, the potential toys, the door key, the suit, the reindeer, the elves and how old they are and what they were up to. How best to decorate a tree and what Santa likes to drink with his cookies. It was a fabulous conversation :)

I baked some cookies this afternoon. Don't tell anyone but they taste awful! LOL The main thing is tho that they were cut into a star shape in various sizes and all stacked up made a christmas tree shape. awwww
a nice lil add in to the festivities tomorrow. Just dont eat them..LOL

Looking forward to tomorrow.. and if any of you are enlightened about typepad lists and getting lists (done in HTML) under images - Let me know!

the nicest gift..

Today I had the NICEST experience I have had in a while. A client called me just before 9pm last night. She and her husband had finally settled on christmas prints for Grandmas and she was hoping to come and place an order. We also discussed Santa and the way her son is really stuck on the details..Just like Lochie! I mentioned a booked we have (Rod Green's Santa Claus - highly recommended!).

I am putting in my last print order for the year early next week, so better sooner rather than later! We decided today was as good a day as any and she said she would see me at 9:30.. she was a tad late and full of apologies.. but.. the reason she was late was that .. she went to the shops/boutique maybe and bought Lochie the most beautiful key. It is a magical Santa key - you leave it on the front door and only Santa can come in! He uses the magic key if you dont have a chimney. It was so beautifully packaged and comes with a poem.. perfection and SO thoughtful. It was with great pleasure that I have her a 11 x 14 of her daughter...

First client to ever give us a gift like that.. so generous and sweet. Lochie was thrilled..but I think I was a little more so.

The key....(it is actually silver/pewter but looks yellowish here)

Christmas Presents.. YAY

The first year I was in business I gave every client a print for christmas. A new print or one they loved and hadnt bought etc. Seemed like a nice thing to do. It was a great marketing exercise (and if your the tax man this is how I file it..LOL) but.. despite that I LOVE doing it.

I have started printing and handing out a couple and LOOOOOVE seeing the look of surprise and joy on the clients face. :) Yesterday I surprised a client with a 11 x 14 of her son. Such a cute..and she was so excited and thrilled.. :) Love that.

In a good year I print an extra print and then file them but since moving I havent done it and now i have to place a massive order..LOL So today I am sitting here .. going through the archives choosing my fav ones and checking their print orders :) Can't wait to hand them all out.

Good Choices

A few people have asked if I am on a weight loss kick? Nope.

If I was truly worried about weight .. I would own scales..LOL No... If you read the post below it isnt about weight loss it is about movement... But the emails got me thinking... it isnt even really about that. It is about making better choices for my body. About making my health a priority. Not THE priority..just one of them. I just need to stop being last.

Heading to the farmers market has had a wonderful impact and I am totally committed to going each week. We have had some lovely meals full of veges and fruits. I DO NOT LIKE FRUIT. I just don't! ick.. just not my thing... I love veges but avoid fruit at most costs.

I have been having lovely salad sandwhiches and some mango and ice cream... ok so the ice cream wasnt great but HELLO...LOL. I ate fruit. I also discovered a few years ago that I dont mind peaches. Fresh ones. So I stoked up at the market the other day and had peaches and wholewheat breakfast cereal today.

I also made some mashed avocado/garlic/lemon/pepper and salt.... YUM.. with some dry crackers.. Salad sandwhiches for lunch... fruit for afternoon tea.. (ack)... and.... wait for it.. I walked 2km today. I discovered that the treadmill means I walk faster than when we used to walk all the time. We used to walk at 6km a hour.. i was walking at 9km today.. OUCH... LOL and wrapped up my 2 km of walking uphill kinda quick..LOL but it was too much I would rather do 2km over twice the time.

I am aiming for 2km a day for 2 weeks, then 2.5 and then 3.. and building up to 5km a day.. 4 times a week on the treadmill. It is dreadfull.. i felt so motion sick.. but still I did it.. and will continue to do so.

I also got our christmas cards today.. WOOOOO HOOOOOOOT.. they are perfect. EXACTLY as I had hoped. The colours are slightly darker but even I think I am being picky.. haha. They are great.. and were so quick to send out.. as the inside had the same message for everyone. YAY.. So excited to start handing them out.

I also printed all of the calendars today. I will have to upload them to a gallery on typepad i think for you guys to see them. I used a HUGE spring paper collection from weeds and wildflowers... and plonked on the dates... kinda generic and fast. Worked well. I printed 17 copies of each month, and will trim to make CD case calendars. I personalised each persons by printing 4 more images the right size (I just made a template and then did a clipping mask of each photo to get them the right size). For Grandma's (ours and Lochies) we just added in photos of him, but for friends, I added photos of their family and children (see it is useful to never leave home without your camera and snap like crazy over morning tea at a gilfriends.

I have one photo left to get. hehe. I have left a spot in one calendar...I have ordered some wings from the states.. and they should arrive tommorrow *fingers crossed*.. I am seeing a friend on Friday and want to snap a photo of her gorgeou chubby 5 month old sitting naked with the wings.... and then.. I am done.

303 prints.... 4 cuts per side...

well at least my arm muscles will be well excercised!

Dear Santa,

All his own words (no typos..LOL)

Dear Santa,

My name is Lachlan Thomas Beattie. I am four years old. We have moved to our new house. It is a blue one. We will leave the front door open - Come In Santa. Could you please close the door so that no ants and moths and mozzies come in, and any bugs and beetles. Could you please bring me a batman, a good one, and a really new wooden train set and maybe a knights helmet, and please bring the shield and the armor but only if there is room in the sleigh. We will leave out reindeer soup for the reindeer - you can share it all together.

goodbye and thank you

lochie

*waits for the awwwws to die down*

hehe

Isnt he adorable? I did some dot letters and he signed his name, and I should note, reindeer soup is NOT made OF reindeers it is made for reindeers and is red like Rudolph's nose..(and may look and taste alot like tomato soup from a can on the 24th Dec! And a GOOD batman is one which doesnt do fighting.. (no sword in the knights costume.. AND.. the really new train set is because he already has a thomas one and he didnt want santa confused.

He could write legal contracts.... politely.